Category Archives: Europe

Reader’s Choice: Bookshop Porn II

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

With its imposing neo-Gothic facade and Art Nouveau interiors,Livraria Lello has been Oporto, Portugal’s leading bookseller since 1881. Livraria Lello is the epitome of the old-world bookstore. The jawdroppingly beautiful interior is decorated with bronze bas-reliefs, glass enclosed bookcases, soaring stained glass … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Reader’s Choice: Bookshop Porn I.

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

  Libreria Acqua Alta, Calle Longa Sante Maria Formosa (Corte Senza Nome),open daily.

Posted in Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe | Tagged , | Leave a comment

International Cities of Refuge

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

ICORN, the International Cities of Refuge Network, is an independent, international organisation of member cities offering long term refuge for persecuted writers. As of mid-2010, ICORN has 31 member cities in Europe and beyond, inviting persecuted writers to dwell in … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Freedom of Speech | Leave a comment

The Great Wall (You Never Heard Of)

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

Everyone knows all about the Great Wall of China, but who has heard of Croatia’s Great Wall of Ston ? Although it’s just 35 miles from Dubrovnik, the medieval fortress-wall complex is one of Europe’s least visited historic sites. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Tourism | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Tale of Two Cities

Posted on November 7, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

Illustrator Vahram Muratyan’s very entertaining new blog, Paris versus New York: A tally of Two Cities, presents a humorous juxtaposition of urban icons exploring the cultural identities of two extraordinary cities. le café le surnom la peste le pain le … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, USA | Tagged , | Leave a comment

La Serenissima Republica ca. 1890

Posted on November 6, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

More from the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Online Catalog.

Posted in Europe, Photography, Tourism | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Before Kodachrome There Was Photochrom

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

While doing research at the Library of Congress, I stumbled upon this extraordinary collection of richly colored photographs taken in Europe, the Middle East and in North America between 1890 and 1910. The 6000 amazing photolithographs in the catalog come … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Europe, History, Photography | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Trick or Treat

Posted on October 31, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

Happy Halloween from the Sedlec Ossuary, Kutna Hora, Czech Republic.

Posted in Europe, Tourism | Tagged | Leave a comment

Travel By Design

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

Many thanks to reader Ed Moss for the link to this terrific travel ephemera site. David Levine’s online gallery of 1920s, 30s and 40s travel related ephemera has preserved hundreds of fragile travel brochures, advertisements, maps, time-tables, tickets and various … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Europe, Tourism, Travel Writing | 1 Comment

First Billboards, Now..

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Brian D. Butler

First they put up billboards in San Marco, now the Italian government is moving ahead with plans to impose an entry fee on all visitors to Venice who arrive by air, rail or cruise ship. The fee is likely to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Europe, Tourism | Tagged , | 1 Comment